League: EPL Sport: Soccer Country: England Category: Transactions

Chelsea set to sign Marco Palestra from Atalanta for over £43m

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 23, 2026, 8:52 PM

Last updated Jun 23, 2026

Chelsea set to sign Marco Palestra from Atalanta for over £43m

Summary

Chelsea is poised to sign Marco Palestra from Atalanta for a fee exceeding £43 million. The 21-year-old defender was initially expected to join Inter Milan but chose Chelsea after discussions determined the Premier League club's offer was more favorable. Palestra is seen as a versatile addition who can play in multiple defensive roles and is the first signing under new manager Xabi Alonso. Chelsea aims to strengthen its squad further, targeting additional defenders and midfielders ahead of the new season, alongside other confirmed signings from previous agreements.

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Market Watch

•Chelsea closes in on Marco Palestra for over £43 million.
•Palestra previously excelled on loan at Cagliari, named Serie A's best defender.
•Inter Milan was unable to match Chelsea's offer for Palestra.
•Xabi Alonso's influence is evident as he approves this first signing.
•Chelsea aims to add more players, including at least one central defender.

Latest Updates

9:50 AMYahoo Sports — Chelsea hijack Inter’s move to land Atalanta star Marco Palestra in €55m deal as Xabi Alonso’s first signing
8:52 PMBBC Sport — Chelsea close in on Palestra as Alonso's first signing

What they're saying

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Chelsea have reached an agreement with Atalanta over the signing of defender Marco Palestra.The West London side have moved quickly to tie up a verbal agreement with the Italian side, who had been in ...
— Yahoo Sports